Hong Kong - Macau

Macau is easily accessible from Hong Kong, a mere one-hour ferry journey away. There are also many trips to and fro Hong Kong daily.

Macau is famous for its many casinos and the Portuguese egg tarts. Casinos are mainly situated at or around the Fisherman’s Wharf near the ferry terminal. As for Portuguese egg tarts, to tell the truth, we hardly spot any shops selling these at Senado Square. Most of the shops are selling almond biscuits.

Bus Trip
We started our exploration by taking bus no 3 from the ferry terminal to Senado Square which later served to be the central point from which we branched out our walk. All bus trips cost MOP/HKD 2.50 (equivalent to S$0.50) regardless of how many stops one is traveling. Exact change must be paid. The bus was like the bus that used to travel along Singapore roads in the eighties with the metallic floors and low and slim cushioned chairs with metallic handles. The windows were sliding but were sealed as it was an air-conditioned bus. Hmmm, sitting on the bus brought back nostalgic feelings of the times when Singapore first introduced air-conditioned buses. This was exactly the same “converted bus” (converted from non air-conditioned to air-conditioned) during the transition to all air-conditioned buses era.

The bus trip proffered a “sneak preview” to the lives on Macau. There were many shophouses. We have only passed by one department store – New Yaohan, en-route to Senado Square. Yaohan was a well-known Japanese departmental store in the eighties and early nineties in Singapore and has since collapsed. Many people were queuing outside Yaohan before it opened its doors at 11 am. The various shophouses, the haphazard residential blocks and the potholed roads reminded us of Hong Kong in the seventies. Of course, I was speaking with memories of the archived pictures I have seen of the older Hong Kong rather than from personal experience. Please, I was not even born then. *Grin*

We have also passed by the Golden Lotus in Full Bloom (a golden lotus sculpture) – one of the attraction on Macau. Many tourists were standing beside the sculpture and taking photos.


Senado Square
Senado Square was as beautiful as the pictures with the dual coloured mosaic floor. A water feature with lotus flowers in bloom welcomed us at the central of the square. Colourful and cheerful colonial buildings lined on two sides of the road. The square was practically a commercial hub with many shops and eateries.




St Augustine’s Church & Square
With a map in hand, we started our quest of the world heritage buildings. We thought we were following the direction in the map. However, after walking for a considerable distance, we had yet to see any “historic” building in sight. Sensing we were in the wrong direction, we retracted to Senado Square. Finally, we spotted a road sign which pointed us towards a narrow uphill lane. This proved to be the only first of our numerous wrong turns which subsequently caused us to climb downhill and uphill under the afternoon sun.


After a 15-minute walk, we reached St Augustine’s Square and Church. Ah Peng and I were slightly disappointed. Although the Square has a unique mosaic design, it was a mere eight-foot square which paled in comparison to the size of Senado Square. We were tired from the climb uphill and decided to take a respite in the St Augustine’s Church. A handsome guard welcomed us in at the entrance. He even helped us switch on some of the standing fans upon seeing us fanning ourselves rather frantically with our maps. The inside was simple but serene.

Dom Pedro V Theatre
The Dom Pedro V Theatre was opposite the St Augustine’s Church. To our disappointment, it was closed for renovation. This was again the start of a series of disappointment where many World Heritage buildings, which included St Lawrence’s Church, Leal Senado Building, St Joseph’s Church and Seminary and Sir Robert Tung’s Library, in our itinerary were closed for renovation and we could only imagine their splendor from their exteriors.

Sir Robert Tung’s Library
Following the map, we walked a good distance from St Augustine’s Church and still could not locate the Sir Robert Tung’s Library. Adding oil to the fire, we had to pass by a very aromatic almond biscuit shop twice which was a stark reminder of our exhaustion. Finally, we decided to seek help from the Police (known as Policia in Macau). Urghh! The Sir Robert Tung’s Library was only diagonally across St Augustine’s Church. This time, we did not blame it on our idiotic map reading skills. This was definitely the doing of a poor map with poor capturing of the road and scale. When we referred to the map, Sir Robert Tung’s Library was supposed to be as far from St Augustine’s Church as Senado Square. Who could have guessed that it was right at the doorstep of St Augustine’s Church?

St Joseph’s Church and Seminary
We saw the name - Saint Jose. At that time, we still naively believed that the map was the only key to our tour. From the map, St Joseph’s Church and Seminary was a good distance from Sir Robert’s Library. As we walked downhill from St Augustine’s Church, we only passed by road signs which indicated St Lawrence’s Church. No sign for St Joseph’s Church. By now, we had already grown slightly smarter. If we could not find St Joseph’s Church, we would forego it and visit St Lawrence’s Church which was not in our original itinerary instead of wasting time of searching for St Joseph’s Church.

Surprise of all surprise, when I looked at the exterior of the building with St Jose, it had the same feature as the picture indicated in our guide. The only difference was the colour. In the guide, it was a yolk yellow while the building now was a pale green. To think, we had initially dismissed St Jose as the legendary St Joseph’s Church and Seminary solely because the colour of the building was different from that in the guide.

St Lawrence’s Church
It was the third church that we have seen and the second which we could not enter due to its renovation works (after St Joseph’s Church and Seminary).

Leal Senado Building
The building was again a colour of yolk yellow, similar to that of St Augustine’s Church and buildings on Senado Square. The parlor of the building had the same mosaic patterns as that on Senado Square.

We were barred from entry as it was closed for renovation. Then we were back at Senado Square.

Holy House of Mercy
It was a white colour building near the entrance of Senado Square.

Ruins of St Paul’s
It is the famous landmark of Macau with its pictures replicated everywhere Macau was mentioned. It even poises on the plastic bags of the various shops in Macau. It was a stone wall with numerous statues on the wall on a mini hill top. There was a small museum which gave some introduction to Catholicism behind the wall.

Shopping and Eating in Macau
Along the route from the entrance of Senado Square to Ruins of St Paul’s lies many shops selling the famous peanut candy and almond biscuits of Macau. The wafting fragrance from each shop seemed to overpower one another, fighting for the passerbys’ attention. We decided to step into one of the most crowded ones to take a look. Free sampling was allowed before one decided on one’s purchase.

There were numerous boutiques – Giodano, Bossini, etc, nearby. For food selection, there was the famous Gourmet Kitchen founded by Cai Lan, a famous Hong Kong gourmet writer, the ubiquitous McDonald’s and other Cantonese eateries. We decided to try “Huang Zhi Ji” when we noticed a long queue. Ha, this is typical Singaporean mentality – if there is a queue, the food must be good. We waited for about 15 minutes before we were shown to our tables.

I had the wanton noodles soup and the fig honey tea. Wow! The noodles were springy without being tough to chew. The wantons had soft but non-sticky skins. Fresh prawns were used as the fillings. The fig honey tea was cool and refreshing, soothing to the throat on a hot day.

The delicious food was certainly worth the wait!

Bus Trip Back
We went back to the bus stop where we first came and wanted to take a bus back to ferry terminal. We asked around and an uncle pointed us to take the same bus no 3. We took the bus and it took us to the bus terminal at the ferry terminal to Zhu Hai at the Barrier Gate instead of the HK-Macau Ferry Terminal.

(The Barrier Gate)

Alamak! How? At this time, we had already run out of small change to take another bus.

Since visits to the casino was part of our itinerary. We decided to pick a casino which was near the HK-Macau Ferry Terminal and took the free bus provided by the Casino to the Casino before thinking of ways to go back to the Ferry Terminal then. We decided on the Sands.

On the way to the Sands, we pass by Fisherman’s Wharf and the statue of Kun Lam (Holy Goddess of Mercy).

Sands Casino
It was a golden building. Its exterior façade was made out of many golden panels.

There were 3 floors devoted to all sorts of games for different preferences. Inside the casino, there were also food courts, fast food restaurants and restaurants. There were many people from the yuppies to uncles and aunties.


Personally, I did not like the environment as there was too much smoke from the cigarettes and too crowded and noisy for comfort.

It was almost time for our departing ferry, so we took a free bus provided by the casino the Ferry Terminal.

Ferry Ride
The ferry ride back to Hong Kong showed a beautiful sea resplendent in a golden light from the sunset. I spent a good one-hour doing nothing but just looking at the beautiful sea.

Hong Kong – A Symphony of Lights

In celebration of the 10th year anniversary of the return of Hong Kong to China, there are fireworks daily at 8 pm – A Symphony of Lights, with a longer display on Saturday. One of the best spots to view the fireworks was the Star Avenue at Tsim Sha Tsui.

The Star Avenue overlooked the Hong Kong Island. Many hands prints of famous artistes, including Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung could be found on the floor of Star Avenue.

(Lights from the skyscrapers on Hong Kong Island viewed from Tsim Sha Tsui)

With music playing, the fireworks started. Cameras were held high as many attempted to capture the dazzling lights. Numerous “wows” were heard where a kaleidoscope of fireworks shot through the night skies.

(Beautiful and colourful fireworks lit up the Hong Kong night skies)

When the fireworks ended, many still lingered on the Star Avenue to take photos of the famous prints or the beautiful night scene of the Hong Kong Island.

Hong Kong – Lantau Island

Hong Kong is made up of many islands which included Hong Kong Island, Lantau Island and Lamma Island. Lantau Island is one of the biggest where the Hong Kong International Airport and the Disney Land are located. Hong Kong is well-connected by MTR. There are several MTR stops within Lantau Island itself. It was not as ‘ulu’ (remote and isolated) as one perceived.

Big Buddha
To travel to the Big Buddha and the Po Lin Monastery, we took a MTR ride to Tung Chung MTR. Then we took a one-hour bus ride via the bus route 23 at the Tung Chung Bus Terminal. The ride was arduous because the journey took us through the valleys and mountains. The roads which were winding with many ups and downs could be a challenge to those prone to carsickness. After enduring an hour of discomfort, we finally reached.

(Entrance to the Po Lin Monastery)

The Big Buddha was situated at the top of the peak where it was occasionally veiled by the passing cloud. Leading to the Buddha was a long flight of stairs which was certainly a test of our stamina. There is no free lunch. If one wants to pay our respects to the Buddha up close and personal, one needs to conquer the stairs. We have come so far and only the stairs stood between us and the Buddha. With a deep breath, we started our mount.

(The long flight of stairs leading to the Big Buddha)

The view at the top was mesmerizing. Clouds rolled by. The Ngong Ping village lay below. The picturesque mountains and the seas formed a permanent landscape portrait.

(Bay and seaview from the top of the hill just at the foot of the Big Buddha)

When it came for the time to leave the place, we were filled with anxiety as it implied another hour of nauseous and bumpy journey. *Faint*

City Gate Factory Outlet
The City Gate Factory Outlet was just beside the Tung Chung MTR station. Espirt, Giodano, Adidas, Nike, City Chain, The Body Shop, Ralph Lauren and others are housed the same roof. This is a must-see place for the shopaholics who can ‘kill many birds’ in the same mall.

There is also a big supermarket at the basement of the mall for those who like to take a peek at the variety of groceries in Hong Kong.

Disneyland Hong Kong

(Entrance of Disneyland Hong Kong)

It is every child’s dream to visit Disneyland – home to all our favourite characters and fairytales.

(Row of shops on the main road)

Two rows of shops greeted and led us to the castle of Sleeping Beauty and Tomorrowland. The shops were reminiscent of an old European town with the Victorian architecture. The shops offered various souvenirs for those who wanted to bring a piece of the magical Disneyland home.
The magnificent Sleeping Beauty’s castle stood at the end of the pathway stood the magnificent castle. Its grandeur beckoned to us from afar. As we passed through the castle, we were welcome by the Cinderella’s carousel, the swirling cup rides and the Mickey Mouse Theatre. The 3D show inside the Mickey Mouse Theatre was a must-watch performance.

(The Sleeping Beauty Castle)

Outside the castle, there would be a characters’ parade which was an excellent opportunity to meet all the famous characters as they made their tour around the park.

(Minnie Mouse sending flying kisses to the visitors during the parade)

Perhaps it was the second time I visited a theme park, or perhaps it was the scorching heat and the claustrophobic crowd, I found Disneyland to be less exciting than Movie World in Gold Coast. There seemed to be fewer rides and with longer queues and the size of the of the park seemed smaller.

Hong Kong – Mong Kok

Finally! After a month of anticipation, it was time to embark on my 5D4N Hong Kong trip!

Hong Kong is like Singapore. Shopping is not concentrated only in the central business district but could be found everywhere, even in the suburb areas. Perhaps like Singapore, shopping has been closely integrated in the Hong Kongers’ lives such that shopping has become a national leisure activity.

Mong Kok has mainly the lower price-ranged goods. There are several street markets that stretch between Mong Kok and Prince Edward MTR stations. Shophouses of about 2 to 3-storey line the various streets. The streets are flooded with the after-office hour crowd and bustling with activities after sunset. Many yuppies and students dined and loitered around Mong Kok.

Fa Yuen Street is a street where almost all the shops sell sports shoes. Although similar designs can be found in many shops, the prices, size and colour availabilities can be slightly different.

Tung Choi Street is where the famous Ladies’ Street is located. To be frank, I was rather disappointed with the variety of goods found, especially when we have heard so much about this street. Many stalls sell similar goods, especially hand bags and wallets where a greater variety could be found in mainland China and at lower prices.

This area also offers a good range of the boutiques which are well-known names in Singapore, such as Baleno, Bossini, G2000, Giodano, etc.

Consolation for Heartache

My colleague was so sweet.

I have given her the tickets for the NDP NE Preview show. She has given me one of the goodie bags which she has received during the show.

At least the bag will be a memorable keepsake and consolation for my not being able to participate in Singapore's bash. Thanks to her kind gesture, the bag did help to alleviate some of my heartache. :-)

In Need of Some Consideration

Singapore’s current population is likely to hover between 4 million to 5 million currently. Yet, increasingly the claustrophobic feeling seems to close around me. The situation is especially prevalent in one of my ‘daily essentials’ – the MRT.

The MRT cabin is a daily companion for me and other fellow commuters. Similarly, it is also a harness of numerous stories and incidents. With the seemingly growing morning crowd, the lack of personal space sometimes worsens the commuting experience. The daily ‘battle’ to get into the train and survive the 15 minute of journey sets forth a series of frustration and irritation. I cannot help but wonder if the traveling experience can be improved if fellow commuters can be more considerate and the designs of the train be more ergonomically friendly.

“Bo Chup” Parents
Children are born naturally active and playful. However, the inside of a train cabin is hardly an ideal playground. “Playing” in the train does not only increase the probability of the children hurting themselves, but fellow commuters as well. Some of the parents simply act oblivious to their children’s actions, shirking responsibility towards the safety of their children as well as their consideration for the public. How often have we observed children running around the cabin, climbing up the pole or using the hand grips as swings. While being excited by the various “toys” in the cabin, the children scream and shout.

Some parents have also allowed their children to stand, with their shoes, on the seats to view the sceneries outside. The cabin seats are shared by many different passengers and are meant for ‘sitting’, not ‘standing’ on.

Children may not know the protocols of civic passengers. The parents bear the responsibilities of instilling in them a considerate attitude on public grounds and public transport. They should act as role models to inculcate civic-mindedness from young.

“Slow–motion” Passengers
A crowded train does not facilitate rapid exit and entrance. However, all passengers can definitely do their part in not aggravating the situation.

“Doo Doo Doo, Train doors closing” How often have we heard the too-familiar warning and we are still waiting outside the cabin and anxious to get in before the door closes. However, even at the eleventh hour, we must be patient and wait because there are passengers who are slowly making their exit. These slow-motion passengers often only make their way out after the train has stopped for some time, thereby slowing down the process of the alighting and boarding process.

If only they can be more considerate by getting ready for their exit before the train stops (ie at least pack their things or make their way nearer the exit), it definitely will reduce time and anxiousness for everyone.
We will be able to find these slow-motion commuters endangering other commuters’ safety when they slowly move away from the top or bottom of the escalators, often with a mobile phone in their hands or sticking to their ears.

If only, they can have a heart for those commuters who are behind them and move quickly from the bottom or top of the escalators before continuing with their conversations or SMS, it can greatly reduce pushing around and freak accidents at the escalators.

Low-hanging Hand Grips
The hand grips often result in the centre belt of the cabin being a “danger hot-spot” for the taller people. How often do we forget their existence as we move inwards / outwards to be knocked by their plastic casings.

Fortunately, for the newer trains, these are moved towards the side of the train and thereby creating more headroom in the centre belt.


No matter if it is due to increasing population which is increasingly taxing on our public amenities and transport or if it is due to cost cutting measures of the transport companies to cut back on the frequency of the trains, the trains seem to be crowded almost all times and all-week. Hence, to ensure that the commuting experience is less of a chore for all, we should all play our part in reducing the discomfort for one another by showing more courtesy and consideration.

Heartache

I have won a pair of NDP Preview tickets through the company’s balloting for staffs. It was a pair of yellow sector tickets – central sector. What a waste! I have actually wanted very much to go this year because of a new venue, new stage, performances by Kit Chan on the NDP song and the fireworks.

Yet, no one could or wanted to go with me. It would be weird going alone. Hence, I have decided to give the tickets to a colleague instead since she had previously indicated she would like to go but was not among the shortlisted.

This was the second time I gave away any NDP tickets. The last time, I was given one ticket due to my participation in corporate projects.

It was heartache giving away the tickets. However, I reckoned my colleague would definitely enjoy the parade with her husband and it would be a pity to let the tickets go to waste.

Still, I have yet again missed out on Singapore’s birthday bash. Sigh!

Trapped in Lift

This is the first time since secondary school that I have been trapped in a lift. It was incredulous and slightly, especially at some point in time, the lift started to jerk.

As we were taking the lift down back to office after our nasi lemak lunch, we became rather disturbed when the lift did not move. We started pressing different floors and the door open button to no avail. Hence, we decided to press the alarm. Still, there was no response from the lift or from anyone. Then we press the talk button to communicate with the security. They stated that they were looking into it.

Wait.

More wait.

Still, no movement and no further communication.

We pressed the talk button to talk to the security again. They asked if we were still trapped. Of course, we answered in unison.

More waiting.

Then the lift jerked. It stopped. Then it jerked again. We were holding tight to the railing at the side of the lift to steady ourselves.

Fortunately, it started to move all the way down to first floor and the doors opened.

More fortunately, neither of us was hurt in this incident.

What an adventure.

Nasi Lemak + Wine

We have decided to have another Annual Staff Function Retro team informal lunch after our rather successful informal lunch about 2 weeks ago. This time round, we have ordered Nasi Lemak and Ribena to office and we had our lunch in one of the conference rooms.

I was held up in a meeting and was late. Again, I drew daggers from our CQC and Chairperson, albeit in a fun way. Then, it was to tuck into my already turning cold nasi lemak. There was a bottle of sparkling alcoholic drink which we shared around, but we each have taken a few slips just for the fun of it and also not so tipsy that it would affect our performances. It had a 5% alchohol and 40% red wine. We were debating quite a while on whether the alchohol content should be 45% or 5% because red wine was also a form of alchohol. As our faces became flushed as we talked, we were unsure if it were due to the excitement of our chat or the wine.

We also had announcement that one of our team member would be living us soon. Soon, it would be time for another farewell dinner.

Changi Seaside

I was back at Changi Village for more good food and the seaside. We had wanted a stroll along the seaside before dinner. Unfortunately, we arrived at an inopportune time. Rain started pouring from the bleak skies. We needed an immediate change of time. Despite it being real early (around 4 pm) we went for dinner.

I had wanted to try the famous nasi ayam (chicken rice) previously. Finally, here came my chance. The fried chicken thigh was served in a wooden plate with generous chilli sauce. The aroma from the rice wafted through the air and whetted our appetite. Yes! It was indeed satisfying.

After dinner, the rice stopped and we went to the seaside for a short after-dinner stroll. Many families set up tents and maps near the seaside. They have either prepared food for picnic or they have rented the barbecue pits. Many children played in the sea.

The seaside has a calming effect and definitely a great way to distress. Every few minutes or so, a low-lying plane flew overhead as it had just departed from the Changi Airport.

I preferred Changi Village to East Coast as I found East Coast too crowded and commercialized. The crowd at East Coast can worsen claustrophobia than alleviate it. The laid-backness of Changi, on the other way, provides a more suitable venue for winding down and relaxation.

CATS Car Carnival

I have not participated in any carnival for a long time. The main exhibits were still cars. New cars, second hand cars and even antique cars are on display. Some of the children even happily clamoured into the insides of the cars and played with the wheels and honks.

Those who are not so into cars, fret not. There were many other activities in the carnival which would keep us occupied. To enjoy some of the freebies, one would need to make use of the coupons published in the newspapers. There were free ice-cream (Ben & Jerry’s), sherbets (King’s), coffee (Nova), popcorn, cotton candy, packet drinks (Yeo’s).

There were also free games – one of which allowed each player to try to throw a ball through 3 tyres. I have managed to throw my ball through 1 tyre in both attempts. So far, the best players are the uncles. I have witnessed 2 uncles threw the ball through 3 tyres.

There were also competitions at the centre stage to keep everyone entertained. One competition involved getting eight contestants on stage to do belly dancing. The spontaneity and dexterity of the participants drew applause from the audiences.

Mascots were also abundant and available for photo taking. One of the resurrected newest kid on the block was Transformer. Many kids were excited at the appearance of the Optimus Prime.

The cars, the activities, the mascots and the babes also drew many flash lights from the photographic buffs with their DSLR lens and their swift shutter speeds. Children enjoyed the various games and snacks. Many families hovered around their dream cars. It was indeed a carnival which catered to the whims and fancy of different age groups.

Live Earth

It is a 24 hour concert which spans 9 countries and numerous artistes.

It is a movement to call out to the world citizen to play their part in preserving our climate.

It is a weekend where those who support the movement are encouraged to wear green.

Global warming, extreme weather and disappearing glaciers and seas are some of the warning sirens which come too fast and furious. Global warming with the green house effect results in rising temperature and disappearing glaciers. The prophesies? Mankind will face shortage of fresh water soon. Melting of the ice cap in Antarctic means that there is rising sea level which can cause flooding of the low-lying coastal areas and cities. Over-fishing and diverting of the rivers for irrigation have led to the disappearing of Aral Sea in the Silk Road. Aral Sea used to be the biggest oasis in the desert. Snow falling in the summer caught many travelers unprepared in Europe.

Mankind has been myopic in the industrialization and modernization progress. The short term economic gains often come at a price which would be paid by the next generation. We sowed the seeds while our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren would reap the adverse effects.

Live Earth gathered many well-known celebrities to drive hard and strong the message of being environmentally friendly.
1) Recycle to reduce the strain on resources and reduce trash and waste.
2) Increase the temperature of our aircon to save electricity and reduce green house cases emission. The temperature is way too low if we need to cover ourselves with a jacket in the room. It is better if the fan is used instead to dispel the heat.
3) Reduce the volume of the TV or the sound system to reduce the use of electricity. This is both saving the earth and saving the pocket, especially in view of rising oil prices.
4) Turn off PC, TV, or other electrical appliances when not in use. Shut down your PC before you leave office instead of leaving the PC and monitor on overnight.
5) Walk instead of drive to the nearest supermarket or park. It is both beneficial to the environment and our health.

Nothing is too insignificant. No action is too soon. It applies to preserving our health, wealth and earth. All small parts add up. Your procrastination will have dire effects on yourself, your children, your family, mankind and even all fellow beings on earth.

Lotus in Bloom

There is a lotus pond in the Ang Mo Kio Garden. The garden can be easily seen when one is standing at the entrance of the National Library (Ang Mo Kio) Branch. When the lotus flowers are in full bloom, the pond look magnificent.

Last Sunday, on the way back from McDonalds' breakfast, we saw some of the blooming flowers and took our camera to take a few shots.

(A garden of lotus)

(A blossoming lotus flower)

(A lotus bud and a lotus in full bloom)

When I did a google on lotus, there seemed to many species of lotus. The ones in the pictures have a flower name of Nelumbo nucifera. They are commonly known as blue lily, water lily and sacred lily and can be found in Asia and Australia.



Another piece of knowledge and a priceless sight.

Corporate Event

It was a small gesture which helped to alleviate Monday blues. To show appreciation for our support, my business line decided to invite the corporate support of their products to a free dinner cum movie session at The Cathay.

I took a ride from CY to The Cathay. The buffet spread was not fantastically wide like a hotel's spread but it was certainly sumptuous. After the dinner, we were invited to Transformers movie and each of us had a packet containing a bottle of coke and a packet of popcorn, though I was so entranced by the movie that I did not have time to eat and drink during the movie.

It provided me an excuse to knock off on time on a Monday evening and had an enjoyable evening. Such appreciative gestures do warm hearts.

Transformers

It is a typical guy show with cars, robots, aliens, babes and fighting scenes.

For those who grow up in the eighties, Transformers are our playmates. The weekly cartoon series were must-watch shows. Your primary school classmate sitting in the same group sang to you the theme songs during breaks. The boys might even bring the Transformers toys to class and role-played their own version of the Transformers (although sometimes it was Ninja Turtles). Watching Transformers the movie was as if time has gone back to my primary school days.

Of course, this was an 'updated' version of the eighties. The Transformers came to know about information from World Wide Web and eBay. Some of the robots could plant viruses into the mainframes. The electrical gadgets which could be transformed to bad robots were iPods and Nokia phones. Despite the ubiquitous high tech stuffs and cars being featured, the themes have not changed from the eighties version. The messages on maintaining peace, fighting for justice and saving mankind are still the key areas of emphasis.

It is a fast-paced, action and effects packed show which leaves no breaks to heave a sigh of relief. I was holding to my belongings, perhaps my breath as well, tightly throughout the show. In fact, I have only let go towards the end of the show.

The conclusion was that it was a typical guy show, but it was a typical guy show that I have enjoyed.

The Alchemist

If you are into philosophy or you have found books of Jostein Gaarder and Mitch Albom interesting reads, it will be difficult not to be drawn to The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.

Santiago was a young shepherd who had given up everything to be a shepherd because he wished to travel. Though travel, books and his sheep, he found that he had learnt more than a formal education. One day, while he was resting in a church, he had a recurring dream of finding treasure at the pyramid.

He went to a gypsy lady for an interpretation of this dream and was told it was a good omen to pursue his dream. Soon, he met an old King who knew about his dream and encouraged him to pursue his dream. From then, he set forth a journey from Spain to Egypt and back to Spain where he learnt about life and the Soul of the World. During his journey, he met an Alchemist, and Englishman, a Crystal Merchant, a thief, a monk, tribal chiefs and the love of his life – Fatima.

Despite encountering fear, pride, despondency, enthusiasm and love, he had also learnt different lessons from his travel mates. Finally, he found his treasure.

The plot sounded similar to the Little Prince who had also set forth on a journey and met with different friends in his journey. The Little Prince has a sad ending. The Alchemist has a happy ending. However, the Alchemist provided a stark reminder of the basic lessons in life that one remembers less and less as we are burdened with the trivialities of living.

Here is sharing of some of the lessons and ironies that we should be mindful of.

1) Everyone has a personal agenda. It is the dream of our life or the meaning of our living.

The personal agenda is known since we are children and in our hearts but they are gradually forgotten. Sometimes, we wish to pursue it but hold back because we fear of failure or we fear losing what we have achieved so far. Sometimes, we hold back because we want to be with our loved ones.

In an anecdote that the old king shared with the young shepherd before he set off, the king shared that of a young boy who went to a wise man to seek knowledge on what was happiness. The wise man gave the young boy a teaspoon of oil and asked him to tour his beautiful castle for 2 hours without spilling the oil. The young boy was so busy ‘looking after’ the oil that he failed to notice all the beautiful sights. When the wise man asked whether he had noticed his beautiful castle when the boy returned, the boy replied in the negative and was asked to tour the castle again for 2 more hours and to take note of the beautiful sights. The boy did what the wise man had told. However, when he returned 2 hours later, the oil has disappeared. He was too preoccupied with the beautiful sights that he had forgotten about the oil.
We might meet ‘distractions’ long our treasure quest, we should still remember the ultimate personal agenda. However, we should also take time during this journey to observe and to learn. The process is as important as the outcome.

2) Pursuing one’s dreams mean giving up what one has achieved so far.

This was a constant weight on the young shepherd’s mind every time he wanted to move on to a different place after settling down so as to continue his treasure quest. The alchemist shed enlightenment on life’s decision based on the theories of alchemy. If what you have left behind is of pure matter, they will remain as they are when you return. If they are not, you also will not need to stay for their sakes.

3) Follow your heart and the omen as they speak the language of the World.

With civilization and the development of culture, we tend to rely more and more elaborate languages and pictures as instructions and information. We have ceased to notice the signs given by our heart and by omen. Listen to what your heart has to say and observe the omen that comes your way, they are signs given to tell you what you should do next when we are at crossroads.

4) The success one gets when one first starts is the Beginners’ Luck. However, to be successful eventually, one needs to be strong and to overcome tests of severity.

The Beginners’ Luck is a way of nature to whet our appetites on what lies ahead if we were to succeed in pursuing our personal agenda. It serves both as an encouragement and a temptation.

The crystal merchant whom the young shepherd had met had the personal agenda to go to Mecca – the land of pilgrimage. He set up a crystal business so that he could save enough for the trip. However, over the years as the business dwindled, he lost hope and he became contented with the peaceful lifestyle. Gradually, he forgot about his personal agenda until the young shepherd came along and helped him improve his business. When the young shepherd was living, the business was bustling. The crystal merchant’s dream of going to Mecca was reignited as he saw the opportunities that his business could bring. He could no longer ignore his dream and be contented.

However, to succeed, one would need to overcome numerous tests of severity so that when we obtained our ‘treasure’, we would have learnt the lessons of the World.


It was a book abundant with the lessons of life. When I turned to the last page of the book, it was with guilt and regrets.
Do I have the courage of the young shepherd?
Do I still know what my personal agenda is?
How long ago when my heart last spoke to me?

Perhaps the book is an omen sent to me to remind me of the need to look for my personal agenda.

A Banquet in Stone / Furniture Design

A Banquet in Stone is the latest exhibition at the National Museum of Singapore. It is a small exhibition at the Pavilion which combines food and rock – 2 of the greatest prides of the Chinese.

The rocks featured (includes goby, limestones and the other sedimentary rocks) are in shapes and colours which resemble shark’s fin, dim sum and fish. For those who find some of the exhibitions on culture or history too heavy, this will definitely be one that men on the street can more easily relate to.

At the lobby, the award winning furniture is on display. Many have unique formations and colours which combine both play and function. It allows the user to restructure the furniture differently in accordance to the mood of the day, yet still serving their basic function of a tea-table or a sofa.
It is both an informative and relaxing way of spending the weekend.

Sightseeing in Singapore

Singapore is boring? There is nothing to see in Singapore?

Hold those thoughts. Think again. Think harder.

We often complain about the lack of seasonal change in Singapore. We often complain about the lack of memorable and interesting places of attraction in Singapore. Many like to spend their vacation overseas than locally. Yet, how well do we know Singapore as a local? Before we stereotypically labeled Singapore as a boring place, have we gone to the different places in Singapore to experience for ourselves first? The article which I have read in My Paper provided a stark reminder of the various hideaways in Singapore which definitely are worth visiting and revisiting.

In terms of parks, we have many interesting parks and most of them are open to the public with free admission. Other than East Coast Park, there are Botanical Gardens, Labrador Park and even the parks and gardens in each housing estate. Some of the parks in other countries require admission fee (eg China). These parks are rich in flora and fauna and even some of the little animals. For instance, it is not difficult to spot squirrels in Botanical Gardens. If one is more adventurous and prefers trekking, we have the Bukit Timah and MacRitchie Reservoir Reserves. Trekking can also be done on the Imbiah Falls of Sentosa.

To get a more suburb experience and more al fresco dining experience, we do not need to venture to Australia or Europe. We have myriad choices right at our doorstep, from Jalan Kayu, to Holland Village and to Siglap. All of them offered different dining experiences – with the more local coffee-shop styles in Jalan Kayu, to the more international flavour in Holland Village.

Although the places of attraction are slightly more touristy in nature, but they are no less boring than other places. In fact, these places are better maintained and with more to offer than some of the places overseas. For instance, the beach at Sentosa is no less inferior than other beaches (eg Gold Coast). The Singapore zoo can offer more than a theme park elsewhere. The Museums may not have as rich a collection as the world-renowned, but different exhibitions are hosted every now and then to add vibrancy.

So who says Singapore is boring?

Before you sketch an overseas vacation for a long weekend, think again. Touring some of the places which you seldom go to in Singapore may be as good an experience. At the time, by venturing to these areas, we can learn more about the culture, the efforts and the history of Singapore.

Tanjong Pagar

I have not been to Tanjong Pagar on a week day since about more than 2 years ago when I had attended a course with 2 other colleagues. I have already forgotten about the noticeably hectic pace of the place relative to others. I had the fortune of experiencing a typical office crowd again on Monday when I was there for another course.

In the morning, the queue up the escalator out of the train station extended to way behind the starting point. Everyone hurried up the escalator. If one walked a little slower, one would be stepped by the more impatient commuter behind. People were literally fighting against time. One’s heart also beat faster in order to go with the flow.

During lunch, it was another adventure totally. One of my course mates brought me to Amoy Street food centre. Wow, I was overwhelmed by the choices, the crowd and the queues. There was a long line of people standing in front of almost every stall. If not for my extended lunch hour, to accomplish the task for finding a seat, queuing for food and finishing the food would definitely be an amazing race.

Notwithstanding, the variety of food that could be found at the hawker centre was more up market than elsewhere. There was a freshly baked muffin stall. There was nasi ayam served on wooden plates – the other 2 places with these were HDB Hub and Changi Village.

Beside the hawker centre, there was also a small park where one could sit on the wooden bench under the trees to enjoy al fresco dining with your packed food (especially when you were not successful in ‘chopping’ any seats in the hawker centre). The architecture one could enjoy in Tanjong Pagar was varied composition of modern skyscrapers and colonial shophouses (characterized by the White House and Red House).

Well, if you have time on a weekday or if you happen to pass by that area, do drop by to experience the CBD of Singapore. :-)

Golden Lilies, Laotongs and Nu Shu

Golden lilies may sound more familiar to us than Laotongs and Nu Shu. At least, I have never heard about Laotongs and Nu Shu until I read the book - Snow Flower and the Secret Fan.

The book narrates the poignant tale of Lily and her relationship with her Laotong during the tumultuous times of the late Qing Dynasty. Laotong, in Chinese, literally translates to old same in English. It refers to the life-long relationship between two girls who match in eight characters and every aspect. They will remain true, loyal and faithful as friends in their lifetime - a more committed relationship than that of husband and wife. Nu Shu (Ladies' writing) is the medium through which they communicate with each other. The letterings and words are those that are used only by the ladies. The language is a simplified version of the Men's writing which is the writing that we use today. The Laotong relationship started with a fan.

Golden lilies refer to the prefectly bound little feet of the ladies of the late Qing Dynasty. The feet will be seven-inch long with a high arch, preferably perpendicular. Walking is supported by the big toe. The ladies will swagger when they walk on their golden lilies.

In those times, the ladies were bound by the three obediences and four virtues - obey your father before marriage, obey your husband after marriage and obey your son in your late years. Ladies could not venture outside the women's chambers once they started to bind their feet. The binding of their feet symbolised a life of restrictions, suppression and sometimes resignation to their destiny. No matter how ugly life became, they would have to take things in stride.

Lily and Snow Flower are Laotongs. Since young, their destiny were intertwined. Lily rose from a farmer's daughter to one of the most influential ladies in the county based on her golden lilies which were deemed to be perfect in shape and length. Snow Flower was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. However, the family wealth dwindled to none because of her father's opium habits. As their status grew further apart and with the different family problems they face, misunderstanding arose which resulted in the deterioration of their relationship. Only upon Snow Flower' death bed did Lily realised how her well-intentions had resulted in pressures to Snow Flower. Only then did Lily realise her selfishness, her sense of superiority and her insensitivity to Snow Flower.

Although the tale seems to be revolved around the friendship of 2 girls and later women, it does give a good introduction to the history of Nu Shu, Laotong and the culture of the late Qing Dynasty. The author - Lisa See, was a historian who has visited the various county to research on the rich history of Nu Shu. It has also provided insights to the hardships of the times, with the Taiping revolution, the epidemic, the fragility of life and the supersitions. It makes us better appreciate the freedom, the healthcare system and the respect that we have enjoyed but which we have often taken for granted.

Relative to our ancestors, we girls should be grateful for the educational and career opportunities that we enjoy.

International Star Descended at AMK Hub

When you stood at the platform of the north-bound train and looked across the road, the red carpet, the spotlights, the flashing of the cameras and the crowd would definitely catch your attention.

No, this was not Hollywood.

No, this was not some famous film festival.

This was the grand opening of the Cathay Cineplex at AMK Hub. In celebration of the event and to tie in with the premiering of the new movie – My wife is a Gangster 3, Shu Qi was invited to grace the event.

Since it was on my way home, I had decided to pop by and sneak a peep of the Star. Afterall, how often do you get to see an International Star so near home and during non-working hours.

It was supposed to start at 7pm. I have reached around 710 pm, being held back from work and knowing that it never started on time (the last time when I was waiting for Louis Koo at Plaza Singapura, he was at least half and hour late). I was spot on. The crowd waited for another 20 minutes before the event started and at least another 30 minutes before Shu Qi arrived. She was there for barely 5 minutes before she was ushered into the Cinema by the security.

It was a pretty new experience to wait together with the crowd for her arrival. I was never much of a “star chaser” during school days. Nevertheless, her glamour has still wowed many of those were present.

Difficulty in Taking Shots of Animals

Taking immovable objects already entails diffculty with issues of lighting and exposure - the interplay of shutter speed, aperture value and ISO sensitivity.

With mobile objects, this difficulty is compounded. Experimenting with the different shutter speed and F-value require time. However, the objects may not be 'patient' enough for you to design the ideal condition and 'cooperate' to be the perfect model. I have had the first hand experience of such challenge when I was taking photographs in the zoo yesterday.

When animals are in action, the biggest challenge is speed. To capture their action require fast shutter speed which inevitably dim the image. In addition, zooming may be required as animals are in an enclosed area at a safe distance from the audience. Such conditions are often proned to blurry images. Hence, a steady hand and deft maneuver of the commands are essential. This is because a standard automatic shot used in most cameras cannot be adopted. Most standard shots come equipped with auto flash which has to be minimised, for fear of blinding the animals or scaring them away. Furthermore, flash can cause light reflection if we are taking photos through a glass which separates the more ferocious species against the visitors. It is definitely an insurmountable task for an amateur, as evident from my numerous blurred shots.

(This is a case where the tiny monkey started to move and hide itself before I could press the shutter. In my rush to get the shots, my hand shook and the picture became blurred.)

(This is a case where the light exposure is wrong, so the monkey could not be seen and are hidden with the leaves.)

Sometimes to capture a full shot of the animal in itself requires patience and waiting. Animals move around or may hibernate. Hence, it is waiting, waiting and more waiting for the animals to be in such position that allows a good shot.

Enough of sharing the failed shots, let us take a look at the more successful pieces. However, they are again not first time successes. They are the successful shots after at least 3 failed shots of the same object. Well, given the number of failed shots. The conclusion is I need more practice. Sigh!

(This peaceful pelican got drowsy after the shot and closed up.)

(These penguins were cute to look at but hard to take because they were constantly moving around.)

A Morning Date with Animals

Do you know that the skin of a polar bear is black? It looks white because of its white fur?

Do you know that one of the primates will have swollen and red bottom when they are ready for mating?

Do you know that elephants used to be involved in logging work and that they can move logs which require 10 men to move?

On this Saturday morning, we took a bus to the Singapore Zoo. It was only a half-hour trip. We were pretty upbeat about this trip and the lush greenery along the bus trip was a welcoming prelude.

We started with a tram ride to the Forest Lodge where we had our breakfast. The tram provided a quick overview of the zoo, with brief introduction at landmark spots. Forest Lodge was a cosy hall with a Koi pond at the entrance. Our empty stomachs had lured us to the food located at 2 sides of the hall. It was international style with the western hush browns, sauages, croissants and cakes and complemented by the Chinese fried bee hoon, porridge and siew mais.

It was not just about food, but we have adorable guests who joined us intermittently – elephants and a falabella (miniature horse). We also had a chance to take photos closed-up as well as feed the animals. This is first time I am so up-close and personal with an animal. It was truly exciting. The elephants had amazing appetites. The falabella was so good natured despite our numerous touching and flashlights.

After the food, it was free and easy for us to tour the Singapore Zoo. There were many animal shows held every hour at different parts of the zoo, so we were busy moving around to catch the various shows from the wild animal show to the elephant show and farm animal show. The wild animal show introduced us to the skilful coconut husk peeling ability of the orang utans. The elephant show brought to us the historic development of the elephant logging industry. The farm animal show reinforced the sharp smelling sense of the dogs. There was also token feeding time where the primates scrambled up to the zookeeper where we had splendid chances of taking their pictures. We have also witnessed the maternal/paternal instinct of the monkeys in taking care of the infants.

Not letting the animals steal the entire show, the interesting flora and fauna lining two sides of the walkway were fighting for our attention. We were especially attracted to the tropical crops garden where we spotted familiar plants like the long beans, chilli and lime. The orchid garden was almost like a miniature orchid museum with numerous orchid varieties side by side.

The last time I was here at Singapore Zoo was probably close to 20 years ago. I have almost near zero recollection of how zoo looked like previously. It was definitely a good trip to revisit the Singapore Zoo. If you have time to spare over the weekend, why not pop by Singapore Zoo to visit Inuka, or say hello to Orang Utans? Be prepared for the chatter of the otters, the shyness of the parrots and the laziness of the lions. *Wink, wink*

Changing Job, Losing Touch

Strangely coincidental, I have heard the same thing mentioned twice in a single day by two different persons. Both of them commented that no matter how close was the friendship between two people, it normally could not be sustained when one person left the company.

I am not disagreeing. When we are in a common environment, facing the same job, same boss and same colleagues, there are unlimited common topics. We can relate to the tasks, the happenings and the people that we talk about. When one person leaves the company, this common bond is broken. Gradually, the easy familiarity and camaraderie fade. Then the topics in the conversations are reduced to superficial regards.

It is hard to find a person who has the same frequency as you – someone who understand your jokes, someone who has the same perspectives about the red-tape of the company, someone who burns midnight oil with you to meet a drop-dead deadline. It is a pity to waste such affinity. If more efforts are invested to developing the friendship further, the easy familiarity can be rekindled. The camaraderie in work can be replaced by rallying for each other in life’s other challenges. It is not easy. One needs to arm with an open mind, a listening ear and a sincere heart.

I am a firm believer that for a friendship to grow, we cannot restrict our understanding of the other party in his / her role at work. The jokes and grumbles shared cannot be relating to work and colleagues alone. We will need to open to each other about ourselves in our capacities as a sibling, a son / daughter, a boyfriend /girlfriend, etc. We need to build common topics and memories outside office.

Of course, friendships cannot be compelled. Despite making the best efforts, if gatherings are still punctuated by awkward silences, perhaps it is time to let go. Nonetheless, it is still a pity.

Black Friday

It was disastrous Friday.

It started with me. Suddenly, I was right smacked in an emotional doldrums when the value of my work was instantly blind to me. For once, I felt that my role as a business finance support was redundant. I was complaining about this to Brother who then informed CY. Despite her rushing for project, CY immediately text me over Sametime. Brother has also spent the next half an hour trying to counsel me with his jokes and his encouragement.

I was cheered up somewhat over lunch.

However, it was more bad news waiting for CY. She was asked to handle a portfolio which she had no interest in. Brother had again told me about the depression that CY was facing and I immediately sent her an email to cheer her up as she had off her Sametime to concentrate on her proposal. I have spent the next 30 min trying to cheer her up and to dissuade her from making rash decisions.

In such low morale times, we really need the rallying of friends to keep us going and prevent us from sinking into further depression.

New Photocopier

The advent of a fax, scan cum photocopier has drawn mixed feelings from us. Firstly, the number of colour printers have reduced to 1 per floor – extreme bad news especially in view of the heavy coloured printing which we will need to do during budget. Secondly, we will need to learn how to operate the new machine.

I postponed a meeting with Brother telling him that I needed to attend a training session for the new photocopier. He jokingly teased me about asking the trainer the percentage that had to be applied to convert A3 to A4 and vice versa. Hello, this is 21st century with intelligent photocopiers. We no longer need to specify the percentage of converions, but rather with a press of a button to select the conversion of A3 to A4, the machine will automatically perform the conversion. Anyway, Brother has proceeded to rattle off the percentage of 141% and 71% which I had not taken heed of.

When the trainer was showing us the conversion function and how the percentage could be automatically converted or manually adjusted. Indeed, the percentages to convert from A4 to A3 printing and A3 to A4 are 141% and 71% respectively. Wow, I was impressed with the photocopier-familiarity of Brother.

Anyhow, the new machine came with scan to email, confidential release of printing, photocopying with staples and punch holes, faxing, etc. Hmm, I guess it will take a while to get acquainted with the new machine and its capability.

Just Do It

“It is better to do it and denounce it than not to do it and forever wonder about it.”

What an inspirational tagline I have gotten from a book recently!

We all know that life is short and we only live life once. We cannot waste time to continuously wonder if we should or should not do something. It will be astonishing to find how time can trickled by during our “what if I have done this or that” moments. We also can never afford to have any regrets in life because we cannot rewind time and events.

This is definitely not encouraging one to do something irresponsible and harmful. There is risk in every decision. When we want to embark on anything, it should still be a measured decision after weighing the pros and cons. Sometimes, we are still be at crossroads after reviewing all the considerations. That’s when we will need to operate on guts feel instead of rationale.

Next time, you are at a decision junction, hesitate no more. If an in-depth rationalization cannot aid your decision, just do it.

Diminishing Positivism

A philanthropist will meet a day when he will wish for some compassion from others. A clown will also have periods when he wishes that someone will tell him a joke instead. Similarly, positivism can run dry. Despite some of my friends and colleagues telling me that I am positive, there are also times when I hope for some encouragements from others.

When faced with a deluge of low morale and depressed people, it is hard not to be adversely affected. Spreading encouragements to others and to myself, the supplies of positivism have become stretched. The past one week has seen a crisis of positivism such that I just wanted to find a haven and hermit for one week.

I must really try to build up my supply of positivism again for yet another hectic week. Hopefully, it will reach an adequate level soon, so that it can cheer me on through the toughest times. :-)

Shopping Alone

It has been ages since I have combed through shopping malls on my own for a couple of hours.

The last time I have done so was somewhere beginning last year. It was a Saturday morning then. I started shopping at around 10 in the morning and ended around 2 in the afternoon.

After Ah Peng and I parted for our lunch, she decided to head home to rest while I decided to walk down to Robinsons. After hearing my colleague’s success at Robinsons and seeing many carrying the red Great Robinsons Sale bag, it would definitely be worthwhile to head down to scour for some bargains.

I have started around 2 plus in the afternoon and ended off at around 9 in the night. Apparently, I was not the only one. I have observed many ladies to be on their own as well. I have tried on many items but eventually just bought one. Nevertheless, it was still great retail therapy.

Shopping alone can be fun and liberating as one can go anywhere one like. One can try on an item as many times to ensure that the choice is right without causing any inconvenience to your companion.

The neverending queues in front of the fitting rooms can be discouraging and time wasting, especially with the restriction on the number of pieces one can bring into the fitting room. Sometimes, to save time, I pull on the clothes on to my tank top in front of any mirrors for the first trying. If it fits and looks nice, then it will be shortlisted as an item that warrants “proper” trying. If not, it will be cast off as an unsuitable item and will not take up the “vacancy” in the list of items for the fitting room. On the contrary, if I were with someone, I would feel more inhibited and most likely would not have done that.

I will also grab on things which may not be my normal style without worrying the critical views of my companion. It is excellent time to try out new styles and who knows what surprises may come along. When one is with a companion, the companion may helpfully pronounce an item to be ugly and stump any interest to be experimental. If it really looks ugly, at least now I have seen for myself how ugly it is. *Grin*

I will also dig into baskets of special buys. I am a firm believer that sometimes such baskets hold hidden treasures. The satisfaction one gets from finding a great bargain is part of the fun of shopping.

Of course, it is still fun to go shopping with someone. Someone will assure you your choice is good. Someone will partner you to speed things up, such as queuing for payment while you are doing the final QC on your purchase item. Someone will also hunt the ‘treasures’ with you and help spot treasures for each other which we have missed. Someone will also chit chat with you on your shopping trip to spice things up while waiting in the queue for fitting room or payments.

Well, it is different fun shopping with someone and being on your own. Different times will call for different shopping experiences. *Smile*

Long, Dreary Friday Night

Every week, we will count down to Friday, count down to the impending respite and freedom. Come Friday, we start to wind down. Even our brains retard from a Pentium 4 to a 486. Our minds start drifting to the activities after work.

Not this Friday.

The first email we got was to immediately investigate some of the operating expenditure (opex) variance for May and to have the analyses ready by mid-day. On dear, I had not even looked at the numbers, much less any explanation for the swing in the numbers. There are so many sets of numbers – this month versus last month, year-to-date actual versus year-to-date budget and year-to-date actual this year versus last year. Within each category of costs, there are so many cost items. Then there are so many departments. Sigh! I do not even know where to start.

After pulling the numbers, I tried to identify at high level some of the major differences and immediately engage the business people to confirm and validate some of my high level explanations. After getting the explanations ready, the next step was to go through with our bosses.

Initially, a meeting was called at 4 pm. This was already very close to knocking off time. Notwithstanding, we still held high hopes that it should not drag behind 6 pm. Then, it was postponed to 5.30 pm. What?!?! It was already knocked-off time and I already arranged to meet someone! I immediately let my friend knew of the change and we agreed to rearranged our date.

Am I jinxed? Everytime, I have arranged to meet someone, there would be a last-minute meeting called which would cause me to scramble for last minute changes. Fortunately, my friends have been rather forgiving thus far. On those days when I have nothing planned on Fri, office would be a day of peace and serenity.

Amidst my grumbling to my colleague about how “suay” (unlucky) I have been and their optimistic beliefs that we could still end early, we gathered at the meeting room at 530 pm.

We were like a bunch of school girls waiting for the last bell which signified the end of the lessons to ring. We fidgeted, constantly checked our watches and mobiles, made faces and frowns at each other. We kept urging our bosses to go to the next topic and maintained a straight face while they were telling jokes, killing off any chance for them to digress and drag the meeting further. Yet, our PC seemed to work against us. When we were trying to create new slides, there was a text box which mentioned something about “happy-go-lucky” and some “friendly buddy” kept appearing. This caused us to spend time removing these text boxes.

Finally, the slides were done. 2 hours have passed. We started to close our laptops and packed before our bosses announced the end of the meeting. We rushed out immediately when our bosses dismissed us.

My colleague who had optimistic belief that the meeting would end on time did not change her appointment with her friend at 545 pm. This made her grossly late. Well, as I have cancelled my appointment, it was time to go home.

What a way to end the end of a working week…

Men, Oh Men!

Metrosexuals aside, perhaps the general opinion of guys are that they are not exactly fashionistas and often less particular about dressings relative to their female counterparts. At least, that was my rather stereotypical opinions as well. A string of recent incidents are proving me wrong.

Incident 1:
Brother text me over Sametime during a meeting to ask me if I knew the presenter who was also from my Department. After I told him who she was, Brother’s comment was she was quite good looking and she dressed up quite formally.

It did not immediately register in my mind as I cast it as one of his usual comments. After all, sometimes he would share with me whom he thought “chio” (pretty). He is typically quite visual and a joker. When a marketing colleague once mistook him to be from the sales team, he was quite happy for a while because in his opinion, sales person = good looking person. Hence, the marketing colleague must have perceived him to be good looking.

Incident 2:
I went out lunch with Brother, CY and company (from my line). Brother, Sam and I were walking alongside. Suddenly, Brother made a comment about a lady in front of us with short skirts.

Brother: Doesn’t she feel awkward wearing like that.

In my heart, I was nodding my head. Yup, the skirt was short and definitely inconvenienced movements.

Sam: Yeah loh. If she wants to wear, she should wear it shorter.
Brother: I also say.

Perplexed, exasperated and stumped for words, I shook my head.

Incident 3:
After lunch, I had to meet Brother for discussion. I put on my jacket for fear of the cold in the meeting room.

His first comment was why I looked so formal today with my suit and my Victorian top (high-neck shirt). I was caught off-guard. Wow, he has displayed such familiarity with what I have been wearing? We have seen each other almost every working day and being his sister, I thought he would not notice what I was wearing (his line of focus was often on the babes).

Who says men are oblivious to what the ladies are wearing? It is more likely that they have often kept the comments to themselves. Ha ha.

Data Centre Visit

Despite hearing it for the umpteenth time, its layout, the jargons and the structure only exist in my imagination. How temperature, cables laying, raised floors, etc play about it providing the ideal environment for machines are simply beyond comprehension. As a finance support, I always believe that it is essential for me to understand my products so that I can provide the best support for the business.

A Data Centre is a place where space is leased for the housing and management of equipment (mainly servers). One of my line managers has graciously volunteered (more like giving in after my numerous harassment) to bring us around.

Before our visit, we were warned of the extreme temperature and the many traps (manholes) on the floor. Filled with some excitement, nervousness and apprehension, we set forth for our data centre visit.

If you picturing a data centre to be a state-of-the-art building, with nice lightings and carpet floorings, pause and scrap that image. It is indeed state-of-the-art, but the technology and intelligence are all obscured from view. The lightings are not artistic but are strong and functional. The place is indeed slightly freezing and certain parts of the place have strong wind. Most of the places are barred from entry as security is one of the highly regarded service level which we have promised to our customers. Hence, our tour was merely confined to the common grounds and probably places which were shown to potential customers.

Despite it being a short visit, at least I can relate the terms and jargons of the product specialists and managers to the actual equipment and structure. Now, I also know the differences among the various products.

New York, New York

Is it
A) a song?
B) a shopping mall (eg Taipei)?
C) a movie?
D) a restaurant?


Answer : (D)

Congrats to those who have gotten the answer correct!

Nah, you may brush this off as a stupid question. Indeed. New York, New York is becoming a well-known name in Singapore. Even if you have not heard or taste of it before, I am sure you have noticed the long queue near its entrance along Citylink if you happen to pop downtown for shopping.


Ha ha, this day has come! I am no longer an observer. Finally, I have joined the queue and be part of the cult. Ooopps, I mean crowd.


The lime green chairs screamed attention. The floss candy maker is a welcoming addition to both children and adults. Perusing the menu is another experience with the variety of choices, eg Mushroom Cappacino - is this mushroom or coffee? Tagliatelle? We have decided to be slightly adventurous choices of Mushroom Cappacino, Ribs Tagliatelle and roasted chicken and complete with a Rootbeer Float.

Taste is always subjective. A person's meat may be another person's poison. The place certainly has innovative menus. Perhaps we have acquired a different taste over the years - one which skewed more towards Asian cuisines, my mum and I concurred that we would steer away from western cuisine for the time being after subjecting ourselves to so much western food over the past 1 week.

Shrek 3

It was a short but sweet story. One filled with laughter, courage and friendship and not forgetting the many well-known fairy-tale and legend characters. Afterall, Far Far Away is the land of magical characters.

In this story, we learnt a couple of lessons.
1) Prince Charming is not charming at all.
2) Not all witches, orgres (*Wink Wink*) or monsters are bad.
3) In the face of dangers and fears, sing a song or blabber non-stop - a stunt which was pulled off by Pinnochio and Gingerbread Man.

The most important is even if others view you as a monster or a loser, it does not mean you are one. Often, the person stopping you from becoming who you want to be is not anyone else, but yourself.

Get inspired, get entertained, go watch Shrek 3. :-)

Sunset at Central @ Clarke Quay

While waiting for Hui to appear at our meeting place last night, I have walked around the Promenade. As usual, Hui was grossly late again. What an opportune time to practise some photography skills again.


I was not alone. There were many people there taking photos with their families and friends. Some were standing on Central's end, taking pictures with the view of Clarke Quay. Some were standing at Clarke Quay's end, taking pictures with the view of Central.





There was another girl who was like me, alone admiring the great views of the River. When she could not withstand the beauty anymore, she took out her camera and started to take photos of herself. I nearly wanted to approach her and volunteer to help her take the pictures. I was too hesistant. Before I could utter any word, she was gone.


The sun set was beautiful with the River Promenade lit up in streaks of gold. As the sun set, the shops, the walkway and the Central soon were lit up with different coloured lights. A cacophony of lights on the buildings' facade, with each building trying to outdo another, incredulously blend in with the remaining hue of the evening sun. No wonder this has drawn many people sitting alongside the river admiring this ever changing picture and winding down on a Friday night.


The two pictures above are taken with the same shutter speed (1/80) but different aperture value (f/5.6 and f/2.8 respectively). The use of the different values also allow me to focus on different aspects - the evening sun and the mesmerising view of the riverside.

If you are looking for a different place to go to during the weekend, why not try out the riverside?

A Night of Fun and Stupid Moves

I have not seen both Hui and Jen since Hui's photo shoot which was more than a month ago. Although it sounds cliche, but time does fly. Don't you think so?

Last night, Hui suggested going to the Settlers' Cafe as an alternative to a 'conventional' diner. Settlers' Cafe offers board games, as well as food. We thought we were going to the Settlers' Cafe at Central @ Clarke Quay. Hence, we were definitely more than perplexed when after scrutinising the Central @ Clarke Quay's Directory twice, we still could not locate which unit Settlers' Cafe was situated. We approached the Information Counter to inquire. Our confusion was not lifted but rather intensified. What?!?! There was no Settlers' Cafe @ Clarke Quay.

When Hui finally spoke to one of the crew at Settlers' Cafe (Central), we found out that it was at North Canal Road (very near to Hui's office at One George Street). It was not Central @ Clarke Quay, nor was it Central Mall. It simply meant central location perhaps. Hui was profusely apologising for the muddle.

We took a short walk to a less-than-eye-catching shophouse. What greeted us as we pushed open the door was a friendly crew and a vivacious crowd with their occasional thundering laughter and cheers and their frequent chatter. Well, I must admit we did make quite an odd couple, ie 2 mid-twenties ladies amidst the rest of people who were at most in their late teens. We could easily stand in as their teachers. Sigh!

Fortunately, the friendly crew soon put us at ease with their recommendations of the 'package' which we should sign up for the night (sounds like going KBox). After we placed our food orders and while waiting for Onion to appear, we tasked the crew to introduce us some no-brainer games for two. I could not remember the name of the first game, but it was similar to our fourth game of Gemelo. Basically, we had to try to fit in some shapes on a board of empty space. The player with the least units of shapes won the game. during the game, we were more concerned about filling in the gaps rather than winning. Hui certainly had an innate ability for this for she emerged as the winner in both games.

We liked Blink and the Mensa Set Games the best. We played both games twice, in-between mouthful of food. Onion joined us during the onset of the Mensa Set Games. Blink was a more gentlemanly version of Snap where we were supposed to placed similar cards to 2 sets of cards already drawn. Each player started with 3 cards. We could only redraw after we finished 3 cards. The player who finished his deck first won the game.

We did not know the Set Game was the Mensa Set Game until we finished two rounds of the games with many brain cells killed. 12 cards were open at 1 point in time and players were supposed to identify sets of threes. The person with the most sets won. A set could mean same colour and same number but different shapes, or all different. There were numerous permutations of sets. We all ended with numerous sets and were quite proud that we did in fact have above average IQs (if the number sets could indeed provide some indication of one's IQ).

Although this was not the first time I played board games, but this was the first time I did not feel as stressful. Like me, Hui and Onion played with guts' feel rather than strategies. Like me, we were more concerned about having fun rather than winning. We helped each other along when one player fell back behind the rest. We enjoyed the process more than the outcome.

In some of the previous games I played, I was concerned that my havoc playing etiquette would spoil the game for my intellectual friends. This added stress and reduced the fun of playing somewhat. Perhaps I was too dimwitted. The more high brain-powered games that some of my friends enjoyed were simply beyond me and I was only referring to the playing instructions. Perhaps I was outrageously unambitious. Competition puts me off sometimes, especially in a leisure setting.

Somehow, this chill-out evening with Hui and Onion rekindled my interest for board games where competition and strategies took a second place.

Skipping Christmas

The title already sounds very un-John-Grisham. Perhaps due to the theme being outside of the other titles which are more associated with John Grisham, such as The Firm, The Rainmaker, Runaway Jury, etc, it spurred me to pick up the book for a read.

Skipping Christmas is about the grand plan of the tax accountant – Luther and his wife, Nora to skip Christmas in a traditional neighbourhood. Being tax accountant, Luther did a tallying of the expenditure associated with Christmas and was shocked to discover the high damage yearly. As their only daughter was out of town this year, they have decided to skip Christmas and all the preparations. In replacement, they will be taking a cruise to the Caribbean.

Despite their determination, a twist of fate caused their grand plan to collapse. When their daughter suddenly flew back and brought her fiancé to celebrate Christmas. Luther and Nora were forced to drop their cruise plan and ran into a frenzy to pull together Christmas at the eleventh hour.

During Luther’s fight against his probing neighbours and colleagues on his decision to skip Christmas, he was ostracized and was placed in the limelight. He was deemed to be selfish when he did not support any of the fund raising activities from the sale of festive goodies. He was being singled out again when his refusal to decorate his house caused his estate’s loss of the award of the best decorated neighbourhood. Yet, he was not deliberately different. He had merely wanted to lead a different holiday.

This story somehow reminded me of my preference of skipping Chinese New Year as well, though I must confess I have not gone to such extreme. I still went ahead with CNY preparation, but I might not be in town during the first few days of the CNY celebrations.

Nonetheless, this was still a refreshing change from the more familiar legal tousle themes more associated with John Grisham.